Full Throttle Talk

This week on Full Throttle Talk, Blair and Shinoo record in person from Southern California — and the episode goes from weird car news to full-blown driving obsession fast. Blair gets behind the wheel of the Dragon Spider, a 2,000-pound analog weapon with Corvette power and zero interest in being polite. Shinoo gives an update on the 996 RR, including the reactions from the PCA crowd, the bedliner...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, Blair and Shinoo get into the real cost of chasing performance—and where the smart automotive buys may still be hiding. Blair compares a manual BMW 335 xDrive with an E90 M3 DCT in his search for a daily driver, while Shanu returns from the Hocking Hills Road Rally with thoughts on the Lotus Emira V6 versus the Turbo. They also break down Porsche’s simulated EV shi...

BMW's upcoming electric M3 has everyone talking—and it leads to a bigger question: are modern performance cars actually better than the classics? This week, the Full Throttle Talk crew discusses BMW's Neue Klasse M3, why older BMWs still make incredible daily drivers, the overlooked Jaguar F-Type, Ariel Atom market values, Formula 1, Lotus adventures, Callaway Cars, and the OEM wheels that changed...

What separates a great driver’s car from just another fast car? Aerospace engineer Derek joins Blair and Shinoo for a fascinating discussion on the science of driver engagement. From fighter jets and flight controls to Miatas, Lotus sports cars, Toyotas, and EVs, the conversation explores why feedback, communication, and feel matter more than horsepower. Plus: Toyota’s commitment to combustion eng...

Blair accidentally started a Porsche civil war. After last week's comments about the Porsche Cayman GT4's long gearing, the internet fired back. In this episode, Blair and Shinoo read the comments, respond to the criticism, and dive into a bigger conversation about what makes a great driver's car. Along the way, Blair test drives a C8 Stingray, C8 Z06, Audi E-Tron GT, GR86, Miata Club, BMW Z3M Roa...

Ferrari just revealed the Luce, its first EV, and the reaction was not exactly quiet. Blair and Shinoo break down why the design, price point, and Ferrari badge have created so much controversy — and whether this is a bold move or a massive miss. They also cover the new Lotus Emira 420, the reality of softening new car sales, Shinoo’s latest shop updates, including the supercharged Corvette E-Ray...

BMW may have finally built a modern enthusiast car worth caring about. In this episode, the Full Throttle Talk crew breaks down the new manual-only rear-wheel-drive BMW M3 CS, why modern sports cars feel increasingly disconnected, and how manufacturers may finally be waking up to what drivers actually want. They also debate the Porsche GT4 gearing controversy, Audi R8 vs Lamborghini Gallardo, Niss...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, Blair Smith and Shinoo Mapleton go deep into Porsche’s most exclusive world: VIP customers, Special Wishes, Sonderwunsch builds, Paint to Sample, and one-off factory projects. The episode also covers the Singer Turbo Study, why some high-end restomods barely get driven, the risks of shipping valuable cars, Lotus’ return to ICE and hybrid powertrains, and why the fu...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, Blair and Shinoo dive into one of the biggest enthusiast stories of the year: Formula 1 moving back toward V8 engines. The guys also debate the rising hype around Porsche 964 values, compare the driving experience of a Lotus Elise 111R vs a real 964 RS, discuss Nürburgring record runs from Volkswagen and Zinger, and break down why lightweight sports cars still deli...

The automotive world is changing faster than most people realize — and not all of it is good for drivers. In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, we break down what’s really happening behind the scenes: • Why naturally aspirated engines may be disappearing • How government regulations are reshaping the industry • Why new cars are now averaging $50,000+ • The growing influence of China on global car...

Blair Smith and Shinoo Mapleton tackle one of the best enthusiast debates: is it more fun to drive a slow car fast or a fast car slow? After Blair spends time in a 992.2 GT3 and Shinoo pushes a Miata through technical canyon roads, they compare modern speed, refinement, NVH, driver involvement, and why some cars feel thrilling while others feel too isolated. They also cover manual transmission tak...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, we break down one of the biggest weeks in automotive news. Porsche has officially unveiled the GT3SC, raising questions about what defines a true GT3. At the same time, Ford’s Mustang GTD is putting down blistering Nürburgring lap times, outperforming expectations and shaking up the performance hierarchy. We also explore a deeper question: are we living in the peak...

This episode of Full Throttle Talk dives into everything that makes car culture addictive—from cutting-edge innovation to the analog machines that shaped us. We kick things off with a real-world EV-swapped DeLorean experience and why conversions like this might be the future of classic cars. Then, big news: a new partnership with Callaway Cars—one of the most iconic performance brands in Corvette...

What happens when you take a C8 Z06 on track, compare it to a Porsche GT4, and break down the best cars for track driving at every budget? In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, Blair and Shinu go deep into real-world driving experiences—from Spring Mountain Raceway to canyon runs—plus the latest performance car news and Nürburgring lap time debates. 🔥 In this episode: First-hand experience drivi...

What really happens when you take your car to the track for the first time? In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, the team shares real-world experiences from a recent track day, including a Lotus Elise pushing its limits and a C8 Z06 going off track early in the session. They break down what drivers often underestimate, why lightweight cars can outperform high-horsepower machines, and how real tr...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, the original agenda gets scrapped in favor of two stories everyone seems to be talking about: the Montana plate crackdown and whether Porsche GT pricing has become artificially inflated. The team breaks down what’s real, what’s hype, and why both stories matter to enthusiasts and buyers right now. They also cover: Lotus Elise 111R vs. Porsche 964 RS Corvette Z06 ma...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, Tim Harris, Blair Smith, and Shinoo Mapleton dive into one of the most fun debates we've had yet. If you had just $20,000 to buy one car that must serve as your daily driver AND your fun car, what would you choose? There are rules. No EVs. It has to be your only car. And occasionally you need to haul around your 230-lb Great Mastiff named Matt. Good luck with that....

This week on Full Throttle Talk, the crew dives into one of the most debated questions in the automotive world: Are electric vehicles actually the future… or the biggest scam ever pushed on car enthusiasts? We break down the economics, the narratives, and what the shift toward EVs really means for people who love driving. But that’s only the beginning. We also discuss why legendary Porsche collect...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, the crew dives into one of the biggest debates in modern enthusiast cars: Has Porsche lost its way? But first — things get wild. Tim straps into the Blue Shock Race X5 kart, a machine built on a Tony Kart chassis producing 44 horsepower with four-wheel disc brakes. It’s closer to a race car than a kart… and it’s completely unhinged. Then the conversation shifts to...

Modern performance cars are quicker, smarter, and more capable than ever. So why do so many enthusiasts feel like something’s missing? In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, we dive into one of the most important conversations in modern car culture: Have we optimized performance so much… that we’ve optimized away emotion? Drive-by-wire. Brake-by-wire. Electronic steering. Software-shaped torque an...

Ferraris are breaking records at Mecum. Porsche fans are arguing about soul vs. specs. And Magnus Walker is sending 150 items — including multiple Porsches — to an upcoming RM Sotheby’s auction. Coincidence, or a signal? This episode of Full Throttle Talk digs into what these stories really mean for modern car culture, collectors, and enthusiasts who still care about driving more than resale. Is P...

Project cars promise everything and often deliver regret. In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, they break down real-world project car mistakes, market timing failures, and the truth behind a $301K 1973 Porsche 911 RS Touring auction that did not meet expectations. From personal Porsche project stories to listener questions on values, restorations, and the 2026 collector car market, this episode...

A street-legal formula car sounds like internet nonsense. Until you meet Caleb Borgstrom. In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, Tim Harris sits down with one of the founders of RYN Motors to tear apart one of the most unreasonable automotive ideas in years — and why it might actually work. This isn’t a concept render. This isn’t a YouTube kit car. This is a real, engineered, road-registrable, for...

This week on Full Throttle Talk, we kick off the new year with one of our most wide-ranging—and opinionated—episodes yet. We cover the return of legendary roads as The Snake in Malibu reopens after seven years, along with the first real twisty-road shakedown of a rally-prepped air-cooled 911. There’s also a New Year’s Day drive in a Ferrari 296 GTS, where the steering wheel haptics controversy is...

Welcome back to Full Throttle Talk — the automotive show for people who probably need a financial advisor, a driving coach, and fewer cars bookmarked on Bring a Trailer. This week: Tim wins a SIM race (we checked — hell is still warm, but not frozen) Paul drives the GT3 to Good Vibes / Newcombs like a pilgrimage to Mecca… but with more tire smoke Dave lists the Talbot Yellow ’79 SC on BaT and the...